ning and harmonizing influence over each heart. The dew of
Hermon falls upon the home where prayer is wont to be made. Its members
enjoy the good and the pleasantness of dwelling together in unity. It gives
tone and intensity to their affections and sympathies: it throws a sunshine
around their hopes and interests: it increases their happiness, and takes
away the poignancy of their grief and sorrow. It availeth much, therefore,
both for time and eternity. Its voice has sent many a poor prodigal home to
his father's house. Its answer has often been, "This man was born there!"
The child, kneeling beside the pious mother, and pouring forth its infant
prayer to God, must attract the notice of the heavenly host, and receive
into its soul the power of a new life.

"Who would not be an infant now,
To breathe an infant's prayer?
O manhood! could thy spirit kneel
Beside that sunny child,
As fondly pray, and purely feel,
With soul as undefiled.
That moment would encircle thee,
With light and love divine;
Thy gaze might dwell on Deity,
And heaven itself be thine."

And yet the neglect of family prayer is a very general defect of the
Christian home. No home-duty has indeed been more grossly neglected and
abused. Some attend to it only occasionally; some only in times of
affliction and distress, as if then only they needed to pray to God; some
only on the Sabbath, as if that were the only day to commune with Him. Some
perform it only in a formal way, having the form without the spirit of
prayer, as if God did not require the fervent, in order to the effectual,
prayer that availeth much.

As a general thing, at the present day, not more than three or four
families out of a whole congregation, have established the family altar.
The parents may engage in closet prayer, but their children are strangers
to the fact. Their devotions they seem zealous to conceal, as if they were
ashamed of their piety. Can this be right? Is this the will of God? No!
methinks if the parent is faithful to the duty of private prayer, he cannot
omit the duty and privilege of family devotion. But why neglect family
prayer? Are you ashamed of your children? Have you no time? Then you are
unworthy of a family, and should not profess to act towards them as the
steward of God. Think you that God will not answer and bless your prayers?
What more could you do and hope for your children than to offer up
supplications for them to God?